Powerlink tables offer and Industrial Action temporarily suspended

Key Updates:  

• Powerlink put an enhanced package on the table. 
• Package does not deal with all key claims, but provides significant enhancements.  
• TSU to temporarily halt protected industrial action whilst members consider the offer. 
• We ask members to complete our survey using the following link to provide us direction.  
• Please complete the above survey by Wednesday, 20 March 2024.  

We thank you for your tremendous efforts in taking protected industrial action over the past few days.  

Your actions sent a clear message to the business that their previous offer for a new EBA was not good enough, one that would ultimately divide the workforce. As a result of your efforts, the business has put an enhanced package on the table with benefits for all workers.  

The enhanced package includes the following key items:   

1. Annual wage increases (Y1 4.5%, Y2 4.5%, Y3 3.5%, Y4 3%). 
2. $4.00 per hour attraction and retention Allowance – Technical Sub Streams (indexed). 
3. $2.50 per hour attraction and retention Allowance – Administration, Professional/Managerial and Engineering (new) Streams (indexed). 
4. Annual pay progression for employees within the Administration Stream.
5. Enhancing superannuation contribution rate to be paid at 14.75%.  
6. All overtime paid at double-time.  
7. Reduction in weekly hours to 36-hour week with no loss of pay. 
8. Increase in availability allowance from $65.23 to $130 Monday to Friday and $260 on Weekends and Public Holidays. 
9. Enhancements to special leave provisions, including for re-productive issues and mental health.  
10. Enhancements to parental leave provisions (both primary and secondary) by allowing new parents to access up to 20 additional days of leave by: 
       a)   accessing 10 days (or your balance) of your special leave entitlement; and 
       b)   the introduction of an additional 10 days of special parental leave for all eligible employees.  
11. In addition to the above parental leave enhancement, a commitment from Powerlink to be enshrined in the Agreement to match any increase to paid parental leave if introduced for State Government employees. 
12. Concessional Leave Day – Administration, Professional/Managerial and Engineering (new) Streams (with Christmas closure). 
13. The introduction of an Engineering Stream – including $5,000 per year RPEQ allowance for EN3 and EN4. 
14. Introduction of new Income Protection Policy with Windsor, which will increase level of coverage for all workers.  
15. $600 annual payment to cover cost of Death and Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Insurance. 
16. Introduction of Working Away from Home provisions ($3,000 yearly allowance and 1 additional week of leave). 
17. 400% penalty rate to work on Christmas.  
18. The ability to access annual and long service leave at half pay.
19. Enhancements to Real Time Network Operation Schedule (if controllers have questions, please reach out to our delegates
20. Increase in TOIL caps to 10-days across the board (12 days for Network Controllers). 
21. Chang).es to medical certificate requirements (increased from 2 days to 5 days).
22. Leave loading (17.5%) to apply when taking leave. 
23. Increase funeral benefit to $15,000. 

These outcomes could not have been achieved without your efforts in taking protected industrial action.  

Outstanding Claims 

Whilst we note the above package represents a substantial shift in Powerlink’s position and that there are some meaningful enhancements to core conditions in the package, there are still some outstanding claims that have not yet been resolved.  

These include:  

1. Annual pay progression for workers employed in the professional/managerial stream and trade/technical stream; 
2. Attraction and retention initiatives for workers employed in the professional/managerial stream (e.g. four-day week and reduction in hours of work); 
3. Fixing the issues with pay schedules for workers on a ten (10) day fortnight. The loading for these workers is not actually calculated on the 9-day base rate, resulting in workers receiving a lesser amount. 

This pay discrepancy has occurred as a result of an old allowance (TRNA/TRNP) being absorbed into the base rate a number of years ago.  

Unfortunately, Powerlink exclude this old allowance when calculating salaries for those working a 10-day fortnight, meaning some workers are shortchanged somewhere between $1000 - $4000 dollars each year.  

Our claim was to fix this error to ensure workers were appropriately paid.  

Next Steps 

Given the offer Powerlink tabled and the outstanding claims mentioned above, we ask that our members complete this survey to provide us with direction with regard to how they would like to proceed.  

As a reasonable offer has been tabled by Powerlink, we will be suspending our industrial action for the time being, whilst we await feedback from our members around the direction they would like our Union to take.  

We note should you direct us to negotiate for a better outcome, particularly for workers employed in the professional/managerial stream, we would intend to take more strategic and targeted actions to deliver outcomes for workers.  

In any event, we note your efforts across this whole EBA campaign have been amazing. You have demonstrated to Powerlink the power workers have when they stand together.  

We are fortunate to represent such committed members and we will continue fighting on your behalf of all workers to deliver the outcomes you deserve.  

If you have any questions about the above offer, please do not hesitate to contact Rebecca Girard (Deputy Secretary) Ben Ellis (Senior Industrial Officer) or Brendan Parkinson (Senior Organiser) on 3844 5300 or via [email protected]. 

We are by your side.